Google and the Company Town

Google and the city of Mountain View, California have a unique relationship. The city is home to the search giant's headquarters, but the company is much more than a quiet tenant, according to this article.

1 minute read

February 21, 2010, 5:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"For Google, Mountain View is part home, part developable land and part beta test for the company. For the city, Google is part economic engine, part benefactor and a soon-to-be real-estate developer with an opportunistic eye for underused assets - like, say the landing strip at Moffett Field, a former Navy air station, where jets of Google executives now come and go.

Perhaps uniquely, Google is also casting itself as a partner with NASA, now the proprietor of Moffett Field. This partnership is making Mountain View a stop along the virtual route to Mars and the real route to the Moon.

'It's a cool anomaly because the company-town tradition had basically died in the U.S.,' said Jerry Davis, a professor at the University of Michigan, who has written about the ties between companies and cities. 'It's interesting to see Google put their touches on the idea.'"

As the company looks to expand its footprint, local officials are facing tough questions about one of their most valuable constituents.

Friday, February 19, 2010 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Cobblestone street with vintage street lamps in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah Reduces Speed Limits on Almost 100 City Streets

The historic Georgia city is lowering speed limits in an effort to reduce road fatalities.

May 20 - WJCL

Sign for Loma Alta Park in Altadena, Los Angeles County.

A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena

Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.

May 20 - Pasadena NOw

Colorful historic homes in Madrid, Spain.

Spain Moves to Ban 66,000 Airbnbs

The national government is requiring the short-term rental operator to remove thousands of illegal listings from its site as part of an effort to stem a growing housing crisis.

May 20 - The New York Times

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.